The premise of Juliet Meyers’ show is quirky and original and provides a solid anchor to her routine. As a child she was inspired by the messages written on the fridge magnets at a friend’s house and realised she created a life philosophy based on the wisdom of said trinkets. Of all the insignificant, inanimate objects in the world, it is fridge magnets that have the ability to advise us in times of need, their mass-produced quotations - mostly courtesy of Eleanor Roosevelt - providing a glimmer of hope at moments of conflict or struggle.
Meyer’s set, however, is not entirely composed on her musings of various shop-bought souvenirs but rather focuses on the applications of their teachings in her own past experience. This approach gives the show a rounded, self-contained wholeness which shows no cracks or inconsistencies. Meyer is sardonic and grounded and she does not seem to be the kind to riff in fanciful tangents. Her material sometimes delves into darker human experiences which brings a maturity to her set in comparison to the silliness or crude humour that some comics tend to resort to. Unfortunately, sometimes the subject became so sombre that the atmosphere was tinged sadness which, when followed by a simple gag, was a little unnerving. Meyers is clearly a strong woman and though she is more capable of dealing with the tough issues she sometimes touches upon - such as her mother’s early onset of dementia - the audience didn’t feel quite so prepared. Nevertheless, the majority of the material is kept light-hearted by stories of her own frivolousness of which she is not too proud, a particular highlight being her anecdote about inventing an imaginary husband so as not to be pitied by a visiting plumber.
Meyers is a confident performer and treats her audience with the respect of an established friendship. Her material is strong and very amusing and the diminutive size of the venue assists her style. It is only a shame that it won’t hold the audience her impressive work warrants.
